That was me. I couldn’t take my five-month-old twins to the beach the same way I did when their older brother was their age. I considered using a wagon before realizing they’d be too small to sit up on their own. I couldn’t push their double stroller through the sand. And I definitely couldn’t carry both of them in my arms.

Going out with twins alone was turning out tougher than I expected.

How to be out with twins alone

Still, I found ways to manage with the twins alone, for both big and small outings, and you can do the same. Maybe you won’t go to the beach, but you can try these suggestions instead.

Go to places you’ve been to

One of the easiest ways to be out with twins is to stick to places you’re familiar with. Visit your local park you’d always taken your other kids to. Go to the mall by your house, or the library you usually borrow books from.

The more familiar your surroundings, the less you’ll need to adjust to on top of caring for your twins. You won’t have to look up directions to get there or find the best place to park. You’ll know exactly where to go and the hours they’ll be open. Stick to familiar places to reduce the stress of coping with twins alone.

Use your double stroller

Your double stroller will be your second set of arms. I used that sucker just to get from the front door to the car. You’re able to put both babies in one place and still free your arms to do other things. And who knows, your twins might even nap while you stroll.

Your stroller can act as a shopping cart or storage area. You may not buy your week’s worth of groceries, but you can hang bags on the handles or stuff them in your stroller.

Bring toys and pacifiers

Do your twins have a favorite stuffed animal or biting ring? Bring those with you as emergency entertainment. I’m not a huge fan of distracting fussy kids, but sometimes you just need to get it done!

Bring pacifiers as well. One of my twins took to the pacifier more than the other, but both of them would at least give it a shot when they’d fuss.

Pick up one fussy baby at a time

“What if both babies cry at the same time?!” That had been my biggest fear of being out and about with twins. I didn’t know what I’d do if both of them started crying.

The simplest solution: pick up one fussy baby at a time. Nothing is stopping you from parking the stroller and picking one up to calm and soothe. Sure, you have to re-strap him into the seat. But don’t think you’re stuck with two babies wailing at the same time.

I rarely had to deal with two fussy babies at the same time. I had been imagining the worst, but for the most part, my twins took to their strolls. If anything, one baby would fuss while the other would remain calm, and I was able to focus on that one baby.

When both babies would cry and picking them up one at a time wouldn’t work, then I knew we needed to head home. But like I mentioned, those moments were rare. Don’t be afraid to be out and about with twins because you’re outnumbered.

Don’t worry about what others might think. For instance, I worried other moms would pity me, something I didn’t need at that moment. Instead, I learned that moms are the most forgiving and understanding bunch. (Because we’ve all been there!)

Edited with reader tips:

Come prepared

SSBE reader April shared in the comments below fantastic tips I had to share:

Come prepared.

This means packing a well-loaded diaper bag with extra clothes and diapers. Making sure they were fed before leaving, going after a nap so they’re not cranky and keeping the length of your outing manageable.

Conclusion

“How do you do it?” a fellow twin mom asked me at a farmers market. She was also out with twins alone, except she had another adult helping her. She admitted she couldn’t imagine being out with her twins alone.

I don’t blame her. Being alone with twins at home is hard enough. Being out with them ramps up the challenges you face. Here’s the thing though. Difficult situations, including being out and about with twins, make you feel strong. You’ll always wonder whether you can do it or not until you start. Start small, but start. You’ll get the hang of it with every outing you take with your twins.

Are you struggling with getting your twins to sleep through the night? Check out my guide, How to Sleep Train Twins! Download FREE tips, sample chapters and the sleep tracker below:

I can’t imagine what it must be like to have twins for an outing. But then again, I suppose you play the hand you’re dealt, right? If I’m ever out with two little one by myself, I’ll be sure to remember these tips!

My twin girls will be turning 9 soon (holy cow! where did the time go?), and I took them and their two year old brother pretty much wherever I needed to go by myself. When they were very tiny I invested in a Moby wrap because it was the most affordable “carrier” I could find for two babies. While I did kind of look like a Jedi with hairy cleavage popping out of my tunic, it left my hands free to deal with their 2 year old brother. I kept our trips manageable lengths, fed everyone right before we left, brought a TON of extra diapers and an extra outfit for everyone, and it was actually not that bad. I was constantly told how brave I was, or how they didn’t know how I did it, but that was the only reality I knew so I just did it and didn’t think about it. Granted, I’ve been very blessed with “easy” kids, so my toddler wasn’t throwing tantrums and the babies weren’t fussy. Now things definitely got more interesting when we added #4 right after the girls turned two, but it didn’t prevent me from doing anything I had done with three kids prior to that, so… 😀

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